Dodgers back to home-run routine in 7-4 win over Reds

Live by the long ball, die by the long ball.

The Dodgers did their share of dying during their season-high five-game losing streak, going without a single home run while being swept over the weekend by Houston.

But back against the Reds and their rookie rotation, all is right again in their power universe, the Dodgers again looking very much like the team that leads the National League in home runs.

The Dodgers added three more homers Wednesday night – all coming in a five-run fourth inning – to power their way past Cincinnati, 7-4, at Great American Ballpark.

Scott Van Slyke led off the fourth with a solo home run, A.J. Ellis added a two-run shot and Yasiel Puig had another two-run homer.

All came against rookie left-hander David Holmberg, who finally called it a night after the Puig homer, exiting with a 7.62 ERA and 1-4 record in six starts.

This rookie rotation business isn’t exactly proving fruitful for the Reds, who’ve lost 11 of their last 12 games. Not that the Dodgers are interested in hearing about someone else’s troubles, having limped into Cincinnati.

But with the victory, the Dodgers moved to 5-1 on the season against the 52-73 Reds.

Brian Anderson (8-8) started for the Dodgers and pitched very well for six innings, holding the Reds scoreless until the seventh. With two outs, Todd Frazier singled and Chase Utley dropped a Jay Bruce drive for an error.

An Ivan De Jesus Jr. single scored one, an Anderson wild pitch advanced Bruce to third and De Jesus to second, and a Brayan Pena single scored both. That ended the night for Anderson, though all three runs were unearned. Jim Johnson came to strike out Ryan LeMarre and end the inning.

Cincinnati made it interesting in the eighth. Manager Don Mattingly went through four relievers to hold the Reds to one run.

Johnson gave up a leadoff double to Jason Bourgeois, and after getting Eugenio Suarez to bounce out, gave way to J.P. Howell, who walked his only batter. Mattingly brought in reliever Juan Nicasio, who had struggled Tuesday in his first game off the disabled list. Nicasio gave up a run-scoring single to Brandon Phillips, struck out Frazier and then turned it over to Luis Avilan.

With the tying runs on base, Avilan struck out Bruce. Avilan also struck out Bruce on Tuesday with the bases loaded in the eighth.

The Dodgers got one run back in the ninth. Puig walked and scored on an Adrian Gonzalez double.

Kenley Jansen put two on in the bottom of the ninth, but struck out Suarez for the third out to hold the Reds scoreless to earn his 25th save.